CH 47

The Seon-Hyeon Guild’s External Public Relations Support Department phones rang nonstop.

“This is the Seon-Hyeon Guild External Public Relations Support Department. How can I help you? Yes yes. Since the Guild has yet to say anything, I don’t know either. I’m really sorry. We will release a statement once more information has become available.”

As soon as one hangs up the phone, another call rings.

“This is the Seon-Hyeon Guild External Public Relations Support Department. How can I help you? On a TV show? I can’t give an answer right now. I’m really sorry.”

KKrrung. KKrrung. The phones rang nonstop everywhere. Followed by the voices of the guild members answering. Ever since the Guild leader and his Hyung made the news, countless calls had been pouring into the Seon-Hyeon Guild.

Calls for broadcast appearance inquiries, advertisement inquiries, requests from other guilds, etc. The entire guild had turned into a separate call center.

“Uwaaaa, no more. No more calls! My throat is dry!”

The staff whined at the phones, which continued to ring like crazy.

“Let’s hold on a little longer to get paid that bonus.”

“I’m going to die before I get my bonus!”

“Please hold on!”

“No more!”

The manager wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with an awkward expression. The Seon-Hyeon Guild already received a lot of phone calls for being the top guild in Korea, but this was the first time this had happened. Thanks to this, he had not been able to leave work for several days. He hoped that the craze would subside quickly, but will the end ever come? There was no end in sight.

***

‘Ah, I want to rest.’

Hyeon-woo looked ahead with a blank expression. In front of him sat a middle-aged man with a shiny bald head and a woman with tied up frizzy hair.

“Hello!”

The woman spoke first.

Lee Hye-mi, the interviewer of Today’s Also a Challenge!

“This is PD Park Jung-su. Thank you for choosing our program.”

(EN: PD = Producer)

It wasn’t something he really wanted to choose. Seon-woo was also displeased with the options left to them.

“Why do we need to go on a show?”

Deputy Guild Leader Chan-young explained why they needed to appear on the show and bowed his head. He avoided making eye contact with Seon-woo.

“You’re right. There’s no need to appear on TV. I’d rather have a conversation like last time with all the press.”

Meanwhile, Do-jin worked on convincing Hyeon-woo.

“You need to do it.”

At that, Seon-woo’s sharp gaze cut to Chan-young.

“It’s fine for us to do this, but it’s not necessary.”

Seon-woo reprimanded. But Hyeon-woo wasn’t an idiot either, or he knew how things were going now. Media soaked in soup were praising them, but not all of them were like that. Knights with impure intentions came up from time to time.

「Can a weak Awakened be able to handle monsters so well? Wouldn’t he more likely run in fear of the monsters? Without special sanctions, these monsters might run wild and inflict enormous damage. 」

How could he do nothing when hearing such slander? No matter how much he wanted to rest and wallow in laziness, handling this situation was more important. Hyeon-woo would do anything for his only younger brother.

“It’s okay. It will be fine. It’s a show I watch often.”

「Today’s Also a Challenge!」

It was a program in which a person from a unique occupational group came out every week and teamed up with a few entertainers to play a game.

Do-jin chimed in.

“Watching a show and being part of it are two different things. It will be a lot harder.”

“I can do it.”

“It doesn’t matter if you are good at it or not.”

Seon-woo contorted his face.

“Hyung, I don’t want you to do anything you don’t want to do.”

He had accumulated power and influence for times like these. So why couldn’t he make everything happen the way he wanted? Even knowing someone was pulling strings behind-the-scenes, Seon-woo hadn’t been able to catch them. But even if he did, he couldn’t get rid of them all. Murder is a sin in modern society.

In the desperate situation, tempers flared. Seon-woo became resentful of himself.

“I’m also a fan of the show.”

Of course, even as a fan, it wasn’t to the extent that Hyeon-woo wanted to appear on the show with them. Shows are best enjoyed lying down and watching it. Hyeon-woo agreed to go on despite their conversation, and now the situation had come to this.

The interviewer swallowed nervously, looking at the lizard and the small dog lying on the desks and to the right and left of Hyeon-woo. Even with the knowledge of there being two S-Class Awakened in the room, she was still terrified.

“Then let the interview begin! First of all, Ji Hyeon-woo, are you a tamer?”

“Yes, I am a tamer.”

Not true. However, if the seemingly weak and powerless Hyeon-woo could handle monsters without a reason why, people would be uneasy. With that in mind, he decided to call himself a tamer.

“So that’s your special quality. No wonder. It’s not easy to deal with monsters no matter how long you’ve been in the Demon Realm.”

The interviewer nodded as if she was convincing herself while she spoke. She didn’t ask any particularly irritating or intrusive questions. She had stayed true to the questionnaire she had given in advance.

“You have complete control over the monsters, right?”

After all the interviews were over, the PD asked again as if to confirm.

“Of course.”

As Hyeon-woo nodded, the interviewer carefully asked.

“Then can I touch it?”

“Sure. It’s fine with me present.”

“Alright then, let’s do this.”

Of course, the finger that was supposed to point towards Kero turned towards Spotty. Spotty narrowed his eyes but did not bite the fingers. There was a scary person sitting next to him.

“Uwaaa, so smooth and cute!”

“Really?”

“Yes! I like reptiles, but this is the first time I’ve seen such a cute one. I’m really looking forward to the shooting day.”

If the interviewer was friendly, and the PD was also relaxed, the atmosphere would also be friendly. So, it was decided that they would appear on the show again.

***

“Wow, wow. What a delightful sight!”

Ji-soo, the youngest girl on Today’s Also a Challenge!, looked to one side with her eyes twinkling. Across from her stood an exquisite man, taller than average.

“That must be the Seon-Hyeon Guild Leader over there..”

A young man in a solid suit stood waiting, his hair pulled back. Despite turning 21 this year, his serious atmosphere made him appear older than his age.

“Who is that over there?”

To that, Deok-man, the youngest of the comedians answered,

“Is that an S-class Awakened over there?”

“S-class Awakened?”

S-class Awakened were not common. Even within the Awakened Powerhouse that was the Republic of Korea, they could still be counted with just hands. Was one really here? Her heart pounded wildly.

“Hey, wake up. You know he’s not filming today.”

“I know. I know, but it’s still amazing!”

“Rather than that, worry about whether ordinary people and monsters who come together for the first time will be able to shoot properly.”

“It’ll be fine. I heard that the PD and the interviewer met earlier.”

“That’s true, but I’m still a little bit worried whether it’ll be okay.”

Deok-man shook his head.

“Is it because of the monster? I’ve talked with the Tamer too.”

“The class is wrong. He can’t be a tamer!”

“It will be fine.”

“How are you not scared?”

“Look at you being a coward!”

Ji-soo patted Deok-man’s back and laughed. In the meantime, time passed, and it was time to shoot. Ji-soo, Deok-man, Ji-hong, the eldest woman Lee-young, intelligent Je-yeon, and the main MC, Park Soo-kwang. The opening started as soon as six people gathered.

“Today’s Also–”

“–A Challenge!”

Everyone clapped and laughed. After a short conversation, it was time to introduce the day’s guest.

“Did a special guest come today? I heard he’s the hottest person in Korea right now!”

“I know, I know!”

Ji-soo raised her hand and jumped.

“Now, shall we call out who it is?”

“Ji Hyeon-woo-ssi!”

At the same time as those words, a huge monster appeared from the sky. A monster with a black body with an aura of intimidation enough to take your breath away just by looking at it. The monster smiled arrogantly at the people who looked at him with frightened eyes.

Just before the scream came out, the monster just rotated in mid-air and took the form of a small, winged lizard.

“Krruck?”

Then, he placed his short front paws on both cheeks and tilted his head slightly. The oppressive atmosphere disappeared in an instant, cuteness taking its place.

“So cute!”

Lee-young, was the first to burst into laughter and say that. In the meantime, a black Pomeranian suddenly appeared, trotting in to lie in the center.

The others started to laugh as well.

“I am introducing our guests for today! Welcome Spotty and Kero!”

“These are monsters? The atmosphere is so different!”

Je-yeon came in and made a fuss.

“I know, right? Shall we ask their owner how he did it?”

“Wang wang!”

“Krruck!”

“Introducing Ji Hyeon-woo, the incredible master of these two monsters!”

Ji Hyeon-woo slowly walked in from where he had been waiting off camera. Having shot the documentary, he thought he would be fine. He was feeling more nervous than he had thought he would.